Thursday, October 8, 2009

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Amy of ParkCityGirl is hosting a Quilt Festival for bloggers, to give us something fun to do while the quilt business people are at Quilt Market in Houston. The quilt I am showing off is one of my favorites, made using the pattern Sampler Magic by Lori Smith.



My local quilt shop, Pennington Quilt Works (in Pennington, NJ), has a program called Saturday Sampler. You register for the program and pay for the book or pattern that will be used. Then one Saturday a month, you go to the store to see a demonstration of how to make the block for that month and pick up your zip lock bag with the fabric for that month's block. The materials are free as long as you bring your completed block from the prior month. If you don't make it in on the appointed day (now a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday because the program has grown big) or haven't completed the prior month's block, you pay $10 (I think) for the materials for the next block. It is a fun and inexpensive way (as long as you keep up) to complete a quilt top and a good way for beginners to pick up new skills.


They usually have several alternatives for finishing the quilt top and sell kits for finishing, plus they hold back yardage from the collection(s) so you can buy what you need to finish the top to your own design.


Now, technically, I did not make this quilt in the Saturday Sampler program because by the time I knew about it, the session was in full swing (usually lasts for 12 months). So I bought the pattern, shopped by stash, and held my own "block of the week" program in my studio. It was a lot of fun, something I intend to repeat soon.



Here's a closer look at one block and the sashing. My longarm quilter did an excellent job, using tan thread and quilting a vine in the outer border. I selected fabrics that would go well in our family room - dark green walls, white woodwork, tan carpeting and sofa, red wing chair, floral print valence and arm chair, dark wood tables, book shelves, and tv stand. You can see the quilt in action below.




I enjoyed making this quilt so much that I signed up for the Saturday Sampler program the next time it started up. I'll show you that quilt another time.


Thanks, Amy, for hosting another fun festival. I look forward to seeing the quilts on display from the participating bloggers.

32 comments:

  1. Stars! That quilt suits the room that chair just perfectly. All you need is a good book and you'll be good all afternoon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It looks so great with the room surroundings.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your quilt. What a fantastic way to get the blocks done.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Such a great quilt that is so at home too! Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Exquisite. I think you were brave to set out on a quest alone that was designed as a group effort.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful quilts, nice work. Thanks for sharing this wonderful quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Our quilt shop had the same kind of program and it was what has gotten me interested in quilting. Your work is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is fantastic!! Gorgeous colors remind me of Christmas~

    margaret
    www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. A beautiful quilt! But I also love your anime bag on your sidebar.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a great way to make a quilt. I wish my LQS did something like that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. nice work and a very pleasant, comforting quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love star quilts! They are among my favorite! This one is just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The colors you chose are wonderful. The quilt goes perfectly on the chair in that room!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great sampler. One of our shops does a program just like yours!

    http://piecefulmusings.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. beautiful colours, I love the design.

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a beautiful sampler!!! The colors do go really well in your family room. Thank for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Beautiful star sampler. I love your color choices.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Very pretty sampler quilt. My quilt shop has the same program and I think I will sign up. It's fun with other quilters.

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  19. Its very pretty! I would end up paying for half of them I think I am no good at deadlines LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Delightful Quilt & great story. Thanks so much for sharing and for participating in the Bloggers Quilt Festival.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Very stunning quilt! Love it. I think you did a great job.

    Jocelyn
    http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  22. It is a gorgeous quilt. I love how the sashing puts it all together.

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is a beautiful quilt! I love the colors!

    ReplyDelete
  24. A lovely quilt. I think the colours you used were beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  25. love your colors, sampler quilts are the best and BOM's make them even better! Thanks for sharing your beautiful quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Lovely! The colors shopped from your stash are perfect in your room! Nice job. Glad to hear your own BOM project was sew successful! ; ) Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from you - thanks for taking the time to leave a message.